Linux Kernel up to 6.1.17/6.2.4 debugfs_lookup memory leak

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.17/6.2.4 and classified as critical. The impacted element is the function debugfs_lookup. Performing a manipulation results in memory leak. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-53355. No exploit is available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.17/6.2.4. This affects the function debugfs_lookup. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: pi433: fix memory leak with using debugfs_lookup() When calling debugfs_lookup() the result must have dput() called on it, otherwise the memory will leak over time. To make things simpler, just call debugfs_lookup_and_remove() instead which handles all of the logic at once. This requires saving off the root directory dentry to make creation of individual device subdirectories easier.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2023-53355 since 09/16/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 265625 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-53355), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.18 or 6.2.5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 04f3cda40e9f6653ae15ed3fcf26ef2860f4df66/bb16f3102607b69e1a0233f4b73c6e337f86ef8d/2f36e789e540df6a9fbf471b3a2ba62a8b361586 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (265625) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2087). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.2.0
• 6.2.1
• 6.2.2
• 6.2.3
• 6.2.4

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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